Lorena Oberg is a celebrity Clinical Aesthetician with clinics in London Harley Street, Surrey and Beirut. Lorena has earned a reputation for a friendly ‘no nonsense’ approach to beauty. She has gained worldwide fame for her signature stretch marks treatment called DermaEraze and pioneering laser techniques for the removal of Permanent Makeup. She is the ‘go to person’ for the removal of pigment from the face, which has earned her the name of “The Laser Queen” within the Semi Permanent Makeup Industry.

Lorena travels the world, lecturing and sharing her knowledge with colleagues from her industry. When in London, you can find her in her clinics or at home in Surrey, with her family. This lady is well aware of the pressures of modern day living and the need for results. This Ultimate Guide to Stretch Marks comes after performing thousands, of what is considered by many, as the only treatment that delivers consistent results.

There is nothing this lady doesn’t know about getting rid of stretch marks and permanent makeup. In this guide she will share this knowledge with you in her personal and empowering style.

About the Author

Striae, commonly known as ‘stretch marks’, are tears which happen when the skin is stretched beyond its elastic limit. When the tear first happens they appear red, then they will turn purple and eventually they will settle into the silvery colour that we commonly associate with them.

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What are Stretch Marks?

Stretch Marks are SCARS that happen on the surface of the skin. They can be unsightly but in no way do they affect your general physical health. Yet, many people are bothered by them, either because they have had someone maliciously point them out to them or because they wish to have their pre-baby figure back. There can be many reasons for not liking your stretch marks. The important thing to remember is that whatever your reason, it is personal and IMPORTANT to you.

2

Why do we get them?

We get stretch marks because our skin stretches beyond its elastic capabilities. The elastin in your skin breaks and you get stretch marks. This can be from gaining weight, growing or pregnancy. However, there are medical conditions that may cause stretch marks, and you should see a doctor if you’re

getting stretch marks without the before listed reasons. Hormonal factors can also play a part in getting stretch

marks as hormones can decrease the collagen and elastin in your skin.

Genetic factors also play a significant role in whether you get them or not.

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Different types of stretch marks

Puberty - Puberty stretch marks are especially common in children that grow taller than their parents. They are particularly obvious in tall people of dark skin tones. Skin elasticity does not have a chance to catch up in only one generation, you are growing tall in the skin of a genetically smaller person so stretch marks happen. Particularly across the lower back, in the buttocks area as well as behind the knees. These stretch marks tend not to be very deep and some have no texture at all. In dark skin tones they tend to be a few shades lighter than the rest of the skin which in some cases makes them very ob-vious. It’s important to understand that stretch marks that happen during puberty are extremely common.

Weight Gain - This is not necessarily weight gain from fat, many bodybuilders will also get them. Yes, you may get them if you gain a huge amount of weight and then lose it but there still needs to be a genetic predisposition to them being triggered.

Pregnancy - This is the most obvious way of EARNING your stretch marks. Most women will get some stretch marks from pregnancy. Pregnancy stretch marks tend to be far deeper than those from Puberty and Weight Gain. Pregnancy from twins tend to have a higher rate of stretch marks as does pregnancy with a large baby.

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Myths about Stretch Marks

The above are views which I have heard from clients. If this sounds familiar, stop it! Stop blaming yourself! Stop it right now!

Celebrities don’t get them - YES THEY DO!

I could have prevented Puberty stretch marks - No you couldn’t, these are mostly genetic.

I got stretch mark because I scratched my belly during pregnancy - You would have got them anyway.

Men don’t get stretch marks - YES THEY DO!

Skinny people don’t get stretch marks - YES THEY DO!

5

Will stretch marks ever fully disappear?

NO THEY WON’T! Stretch Marks are scars and as such tend to soften over time. Like scars, if they are deep, it is unlikely that they will soften much. Many stretch marks start their life RED and then fade to Purple and eventually to the Silvery White that we all picture when we think of stretch marks.

Even after clinical treatments, you are unlikely to get 100% improvement.Some treatments are very effective but 100% improvement is simply unrealistic.

BEFORE AFTER

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Tips for preventing Stretch Marks

My personal opinion, which is based on treating stretch marks on a daily basis, is that there is very little you can do to prevent them. There is such a strong genetic element which is largely hormonal…. that for the most part, you could have bathed in pure virgin olive oil three times a day whilst pregnant and would probably still get them if you’re that way inclined.

Still, there are things you CAN do in order to keep your skin in the best possible condition which in theory should help prevent stretch marks.

It’s a bit depressing right? At least you know now that there was not a lot you could have done to prevent them. I’m always shocked by how my client’s come in with all sorts of stories as to WHY they got stretch marks. We just love to blame ourselves about all sorts of things over which we really have no control.

Diet - Vitamins E and C and minerals such as Zinc and Silicon are known to aid healthy skin. The same with various Essential Fatty Acids. There are supplements on the market that are made for this purpose. Do your research to make sure you invest in good quality supplements.

Try not to gain excessive weight during pregnancy… I can’t believe I wrote that! Given the fact that I was the size of a whale with both my children, this is clearly a case of do as I say….not as I do.

Keep your skin moisturised during pregnancy. This is more of an old wives’ tale and there is absolutely no evidence that it helps but, it can’t hurt!

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At Home Treatments

Lotions, potions and snake oils - Theoretically there is some truth that keeping your skin moisturised will help heal stretch marks. I take you back to what I said about stretch marks being scars. If scars are new, and still red, oils may help in the healing process. The same holds true for stretch marks. Even our own Miracle Oil, which I have formu-lated for use after our DermaEraze treatment is of little use once your stretch marks have gone silvery. I named our oil “Miracle Oil” as a tongue in cheek play on the term “snake oil” because although a quick search on Google will show a huge following, the fact is that it is a moisturiser, a nice one, all natural but it will not heal silvery stretch marks.

Exfoliating - I have seen many different ways of exfoliating the affected area. People use brushes, sugar, salt, shower creams with granules, loofahs. Exfoliating works because it removes dead skin cells but also stimulates the blood flow to the area which aids in healing.

Potato Juice - The amino acids, vitamins and minerals of potato juice may stimulate cell growth.

Water - Drinking 2 litres of water a day will aid in your hydration. This includes all vital organs of which your skin is one of them.

Home Dermal Roller - Of all home remedies this is the most effective and works the same way as laser treatments and Dermaeraze. Dermal Rollers create a controlled lesion to the area which then aids in the repair of said area. Home dermal rollers have little spikes that pierce the skin. Home versions are far smaller than the clinical versions used by doctors so you can expect far less remarkable results at home. Follow the instructions on the packaging as they differ for home use to clinical use. Not suitable for dark skin tones.

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Clinical Treatments

All clinical treatments work in the same way. They create a controlled lesion to the affected area which then heals over far smoother. They will all improve the appearance of stretch marks but to date, none claim to remove them 100%

Dermal Rollers - Doctors have access to dermal rollers that are far more aggressive than what you can buy for home use. These tend to give better results for stretch marks than the home versions. A course of treatments is needed for full results to be seen. These cannot be recommended on dark skin tones.

Laser Treatment - This has been the conventionally accepted method for stretch mark reductions. The most commonly used laser is the Fraxional laser which sends pulses of fractional light straight into the affected area thus breaking down the scar tissue. You will need a course of treatments in order to see optimal results. This cannot be recommended for use on dark skin tones.

Cosmetic Surgery - This option is ideal if as well as stretch marks, there is a tummy overhang after pregnancy. A tummy tuck is the usual procedure for this problem. During this procedure the excess skin is pulled down and then removed. Although the appearance of the area may be generally improved , it may not be enough. Some of the stretch marks may still be visible even after surgery. These can be improved further with other treatments discussed in this section.

Car boxy - This is a therapy that injects Carbon Dioxide into the target area in order to heal the broken dermal collagen. Carboxyl may require about six treatments in order to see results. Suitable for all skin tones.

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DermaEraze - This is the treatment for which our clinics are renowned. I devel-oped this treatment some 5 years ago and we have very consistent results with over 3000 treatments performed to date. DermaEraze is one treatment following which you should see significant improvement in four weeks. Further treatments can be administered for further improvement but not for six months as the area will continue to improve during this time. Suitable for all skin tones.

9

What works and what doesn’t?

This largely depends on your expectations. What is a good result to one person may not be to another.

Home treatments have a very limited effect on stretch marks, particularly if they are already silvery white. Still, because of their nominal cost other than time, I highly recommend that anyone that wants to get rid of their stretch marks starts here.

Clinical treatments all work to reduce stretch marks. The problem is that not all treatments work for everyone and some have more consistent results than others. It is worth doing research as to what is available to you in your area.

What doesn’t work are specific miracle creams. In fact, I named our after treatment oil “Miracle Oil” as a tongue in cheek play on the term “snake oil” because although a quick search on Google will show a huge following, the fact is that it is a moisturiser, a nice one, all natural and it smells great but it will not heal silvery stretch marks. Not because it’s not a great product, but because it will work as well as oil off the food shelf at your local food store on old stretch marks. Miracle Oil is vital as an after treatment product following DermaEraze Treatment but it won’t work on established stretch marks which have not already been treated.

There are many things for you to consider when choosing the treatment that suits you.

Skin Type - If you are of a dark skin tone, your choices for treatment are limited. This narrows the playing field for you with only Carboxy and DermaEraze.

Lifestyle - Do you have the time to invest into a course of treatments that may require you to visit the practice every couple of weeks?

Budget - None of the clinical treatments are cheap. Will you need to save? Does the clinic offer a payment plan? Many clinics offer you to pre pay an amount on a weekly basis until you reach the amount required for the treatment.

Practitioner - Research the practitioner and the success rate that each individual practitioner has. Two people can do the same treatment but one can have a far higher success rate than the other. Also the rapport you have with the practitioner can only be gauged in person, so after you do your research book a consultation to

10

How Should I Choose a Clinical Treatment?

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see if you connect well with the person who will be working on your skin. You should always have the consultation with the person who will be performing the treatment. The last thing you want is to pay a lot of money only to show up to the treatment and realise that you don’t like the person who will be working on you. It is going to affect your life, you are special and you deserve THE BEST.

Expect to Pay a Consultation Fee - Established practitioners need to charge for their time because there is a high level of no shows for free consultations. You will notice that free consultations are often done by a member of staff who may be very knowledgeable but will not be performing the procedure. The way they get around the no show problem is by overbooking the time slots which means that you may be in for a long wait. If you’re on a tight budget but are time rich, a free consultation may be a good option for you.

Pain threshold - I always laugh when I see clinics advertising laser or carboxy treatment “pain free”. There is no such thing as a free lunch in the stretch marks removal game. These treatments are ALL painful to some degree. Ask about down time. Are you going to be able to go back to work straight after or do you need to take a day off?

11

Learning to Love my Stretch Marks

Before you embark on an expensive treatment ask yourself why you want to get rid of your stretch marks. Ask yourself if someone like me is able to do that for you, will THAT make you happy? I’ve had many a beautiful woman in my practice complaining about her barely noticeable stretch marks. When I dig deeper, I find out about a partner or a family member, often a sibling or a cousin, who has pointed them out and is drawing attention to them.

If this rings true with you, there is a lot more to how you feel about your stretch marks than the physical aspect of the area. It is not normal to point out someone’s imperfection with the sole purpose of making them feel bad about themselves. It takes a first class loony to do this to another human being!

Then you have those who may have told you that your stretch marks are YOUR fault because YOU didn’t use oil during puberty, or you scratched your belly during pregnancy, or you gained and lost too much or too little weight, or breathed the wrong kind of oxygen. So now they’re stretch marks experts are they? Do yourself a favour, give them my phone number and tell them to call me and leave you alone.

Normal people build each other up, they don’t point out every small fault or flaw on others. Especially when the flaw is as small and insignificant as a stretch mark, which poses no potential health problem at all.

Or it may be just you having unrealistic expectations for yourself. It’s important for us to be kind to ourselves.

Every stretch mark on your body tells a story. They are there from growing up tall and elegant. They are there from carrying your children or from losing dangerous weight. Whatever the reason the important thing to consider is that they affect 90% of men and women. That means that most of the people you come across have them.

Stretch marks treatment is something you should do only if your attitude is that if you can do something about them then why not. It should not take centre stage of your life. It should not be the thing that you’re waiting to happen to make you happy. Not having stretch marks is not going to change your life. At most it’s going to make you a bit more comfortable in summer clothes.

I hope this guide gives you some clarity as to the myths surrounding stretch marks.

I know from years carrying out treatments that stretch marks can be very distressing to sufferers. We feel humbled to be able to help people through the process of minimising them and thus helping their quality of life. Our website is www.lorenaoberg.co.uk. If you wish to speak to someone regarding your stretch marks, please send photos along with your phone number to info@lorenaoberg.co.uk

It goes without saying discretion is of utmost importance and any photographs remain confidential unless you give permission for them to be used in testimonials following successful treatment. I look forward to helping you in any wat that I can

Yours,Lorena

Final word from the Author

Thank you for reading

Tel : 0800 0029696Text: 07885 913381Email : info@lorenaoberg.co.ukWebsite: www.lorenaoberg.co.uk

CATERHAM BRANCH73 Croydon RoadCaterhamSurrey CR3 6PD

LONDON BRANCH1 Harley StLondon W1G 9QD